Ice Bonds with Ice
by RynUhara
Summary: Karli Pierce is a part of her siblings' musical group, 'Reckless'. Each of the twelve belong to guilds across the continent. Karli is a Fairy Tail wizard, and not just that, she is also an ice wizard like someone else we know. This is a story of Karli and Gray's friendship and how it progresses from the time Karli joins the guild. (Gray x OC)


"Ice Bonds with Ice" Chapter 1

In the midst of wizards and the excitement of guilds, young entertainment was something the people loved to see on their spare time. Twelve siblings grew up loving to put a smile on the faces of the public with their extraordinary musical abilities. Each of them belonged to guilds all over the land, but always made it a point to gather every summer to tour the continent and go on new adventures together as a family.

Ky, Kendra, Kenny, Kyle, Kevin, Kelsey, Kyra, Kelli, Kent, Kyla, Kobi and Karli Pierce are all talented in music, and are publicly known as the musical group "Reckless", and each one of them belongs to different guilds and specialize in different types of magic.

This story, however, focuses on the youngest child. The young ice wizard, Karli, a member of the great guild Fairy Tail.

Karli Pierce was 8 years old when she joined the lively guild, making her the youngest of the twelve to ever leave home. Not on her own free will, of course. Like most children in her time, her parents had been killed.

Unlike the children whose parents were killed on the job, however, their cause of death was much different. Because of the rapid income the young twelve brought the family, they got careless with their magic and lifestyle, and dropped their guard around jealous eyes.

Karli was the only one living with her parents at the time of their death, and her oldest sibling had barely been 23 and was just getting started in life. Their only other option was for the young wizard, who barely knew any magic at all, to join the guild of her teacher's old friend.

"So you are the child I have heard so much about?" Master Makarov addressed the young girl for the first time.

Karli quietly stood, looking away from the master of the guild that was to be her new home.

"Your teacher says that you are studying ice magic."

She still refused to look at him.

"Oi! You going to say anythin' or ain't ya?!" A boy around the same age as Karli got in her face.

"Natsu, give her a break. She just lost her parents." One of the adults pulled the boy back.

"Don't mind Natsu." Makarov smiled down from his seat at the bar. "I'm sure you will get to know him better soon enough."

Master Makarov kept his eyes on Karli, who still kept her eyes away.

"I think it would benefit you well if you were acquainted with Gray. He uses ice make magic. Perhaps he can teach you a thing or two." Makarov suggested.

Karli still refused to look up.

"Come on, kid. You can't be quiet forever." Cana frowned.

Karli walked away after a few moments of silence, never lifting her head to look up at anyone. Not even to the boy known as Gray that her new master insisted she get to know. All she wanted to do was go back home.

(Break)

A few days passed, and Karli still never said a word to anyone.

"What is up with that girl, anyway?" Natsu grumbled, glaring at the girl who was always in the far corner of the guild hall. "Can't she see that all anyone wants to do is help her out?"

"Just give her time to warm up to everyone, Natsu." Lisanna sighed. "She just lost her parents, and none of her siblings wanted to leave their own guilds to take care of her."

"But why did she choose Fairy Tail of all places to go to?" The young dragon slayer groaned. "She doesn't want anything to do with anyone. Heck! I don't even know what her face looks like because she's always looking down. Why would you want to live like that?"

"That's enough, Natsu." Erza glared.

"Gray, didn't the master want you to talk to her?" Lisanna asked the shirtless boy sitting across from her.

"He said I should, but why should I?" Gray shrugged. "She has to come to me first."

When he said that, a sharp ice shard flew at him, but melted before it could hit him. Gray looked to where the little girl was, but she ran out of the guild before he could say anything.

Natsu laughed. "You pissed her off!"

"Sh-shut up!" Gray glared over to his best friend/rival, then stood up and ran after the new guild member.

(Break)

Karli was sitting up at the river with her head on her knees when Gray had found her. He sat on the higher ledge next to the path unnoticed.

"_You're such a pain," _Gray thought to himself. _"But I guess I sort of understand what it's like to feel all alone." _His thoughts shifted to his teacher, Ul.

"Hey, what do we have here?" Gray looked down and saw three grown men standing around Karli.

"Are you lost, little girl?"

Karli never looked up at them.

"Hey! Quit ignorin' when yer elders are talkin' to ya!" One of the men glared down at her, trying to get her to respond, but after a few seconds of silence, he hit her.

"Leave her alone!" Gray shouted at the men as he slid down from the ledge.

"Aww, how cute. Little man thinks he can boss us around." Another man walked to Gray and attempted to strike him, but Gray was too fast.

He used his ice make magic to make the ground slippery before the man could turn and catch him, causing him to fall.

"A little Fairy Tail punk, huh?" The man that had hit Karli sneered. "Get out of here if ya know what's good fer ya!" 

"Not until Karli is safe." Gray glared up at him.

Karli sat up and tried to get away, but the second man had grabbed her.

"Let her go!"

"Or what?" The man Gray had tripped appeared behind him and attempted to grab him, but Gray had heard him coming, so he turned and froze the man.

The remaining two stared at the small boy in shock.

"Why you!" The man that started it all lunged at Gray, and he met the same fate as his buddy.

"Put her down." Gray glared up at the remaining man, who had Karli in his arms.

"Okay! Okay!" He put her down on her feet and stepped away, now afraid of the young ice wizard.

"Come on, let's go back to the guild." Gray grabbed Karli's hand and glared at the three men as they left.

It was silent for a while as they walked back. Karli still never looked up at Gray or thanked him. Nothing.

"Hey, why don't 'cha ever say anything?" Gray asked, hoping to get her to open up some.

Karli remained silent.

"Come on! I just saved you, and the least you can do is say thanks or something!"

Gray sighed, realizing that he would never get her to speak that way.

"Look, I'm sorry about your parents. I know you feel like no one cares about you, because I felt that way too." Gray admitted. "But the guys at Fairy Tail, they really do care for you. So, please try to be a little nicer."

Karli stopped walking, and Gray looked at her confused.

"Th-th-…" Karli shook, trying to get words to come out.

"Don't mention it!" Gray grinned and ruffled her hair.

Karli looked up at Gray, and tears were streaming from her eyes.

"H-hey, why are you crying?"

Karli wiped her eyes and opened her mouth. "Thank you, Gray…"

That was the first time since her parents had died that Karli had ever looked up to talk to anyone.


End file.
